Expert Insights

Expert Insights is a collection of timely opinion pieces from business leaders who explain how and why ideas move across their industries to impact the flow of capital and drive innovation. Observer experts dissect trends across media, tech, finance, philanthropy, the art market, hospitality, luxury retail and beyond. Read thought-provoking analysis from industry leaders who offer deep, data-driven perspectives on how these sectors are evolving, connecting the dots between emerging trends and their broader implications, providing a nuanced understanding of complex global dynamics. Whether it's the impact of climate policies on markets, innovations in tech, or shifts in the art world, expect strategic insights that help them stay informed and ahead in their fields.

The Latest Insights from Industry Leaders

Your Brain Wasn’t Built for This. Algorithms Know It.

Menka Sanghvi, author of 'Your Best Digital Life' and expert in mindfulness and digital habits, explores how we’ve outsourced decision-making to machines without noticing. Drawing on neuroscience, algorithmic culture and cognitive science, Sanghvi reveals the hidden costs of convenience—and offers a roadmap to reclaim your mental autonomy.

By Menka Sanghvi

The Case for Positive-Sum Capitalism

In this compelling essay, Roy Swan—head of Mission Investments at the Ford Foundation—argues for a moral recalibration of capitalism. Drawing on Asimov’s robotics, Rawls’ philosophy and the economic cost of exclusion, Swan lays out a vision for a positive-sum future: one where corporate leaders, investors and policymakers align growth with justice.

By Roy Swan

Hidden Liabilities: How Rare Manuscripts Threaten Institutional Reputations

Brett Erickson, a specialist in reputational risk and cultural asset governance, breaks down increasing reputational threats unfolding behind the glass cases of our most trusted institutions. From Naples to Washington to Oslo, Erickson traces how stolen manuscripts, smuggled antiquities and provenance blind spots are reshaping the way museums, libraries and private collections confront integrity—not just as an ideal, but as a liability, a legal threshold and a legacy at stake.

By Brett Erickson